Amphibian nurses its young with ‘milk’
A groundbreaking discovery reveals that a species of amphibian is now known to nourish its young with a milk-like substance, a behavior previously only observed in mammals. This unique characteristic is exhibited by the blind, worm-like caecilian known as Siphonops annulatus, which resides underground.
Lactation is typically associated with mammals, but other animals such as birds, fish, insects, and even spiders also produce nutrient-rich fluids for their offspring. Evolutionary biologist Marvalee Wake from the University of California, Berkeley describes the revelation that S. annulatus is both a skin feeder and milk producer as “pretty amazing,” highlighting the many biological quirks of caecilians that are still being uncovered through research.
